Slidable inner jaw pipe wrench



United States Patent 2,708,385 SLIDABLE INNER JAW PIPE WRENCH Charles F. Grinnell, Monroeville, Ohio Application April 30, 1954, Serial No. 426,729

2 Claims. (Cl. 81-147) This invention relates to improvements in slidable inner jaw pipe wrenches.

It is among the objects of the invention to provide an improved pipe wrench of the character indicated above which is adjustable to receive pipe or other. generally cylindrical work pieces of different diameters and includes wedging means for automatically gripping the wrench onto a work piece; which will remain in place on a work piece on which it has been set until intentionally removed; which has a limited gripping or clamping action to avoid damage to a work piece to which it is applied; and which is simple and durable in construction, economical to manufacture, and positive and effective in operation.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the following description and the appended claims in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a pipe wrench illustrative of the invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary edge elevational view of the wrench illustrated in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view on the line 33 of Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view on an enlarged scale on the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

With continued reference to the drawing, the illustrated wrench comprises an elongated, straight handle and a fixed jaw 11 extending perpendicularly from one end of the handle. The fixed jaw has arcuately curved outer and inner edges, and the inner edge is provided with a series of contiguous serrations or pipe-gripping teeth 12.

Notches 13 extend along the edge of the handle adjacent the fixed jaw 11 from the fixed jaw to a location intermediate the length of the handle and a movable jaw, generally indicated at 14, is slidably mounted on the handle for movement toward and away from the fixed jaw 11.

The movable jaw comprises a flat metal block 15 of somewhat triangular shape having a handle-receiving groove 16 extending along one edge thereof substantially parallel thereto and spaced therefrom and wider than the handle. The groove 16 has a width greater than the width of the handle 10, and the block 15 has a series of teeth 17 at the side of the groove remote from the edge of the body along which the groove extends. The notches 17 are engageable with the serrations 13 on the handle to lock the movable jaw at selected positions of adjustment longitudinally of the handle.

The block 15 has a second edge or leg substantially perpendicular to the edge along which the groove 16 extends, and this second edge is provided with a longitudinally extending groove 17 opening through the same side of the block 15 as the groove 16 and provided with a bottom surface 18 which is angulated away from the handle 10 and the fixed jaw 11 at a slight angle relative to a line perpendicular to the longitudinal center line of the handle.

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A wedge shaped sliding inner jaw 19 is disposed in the groove 17 in the body 15 and slidably mounted on the inclined bottom surface 18. The inner jaw 19 has its narrower end adjacent to the handle 10 and has gripping teeth or serrations 20 on its side adjacent the fixed jaw 11. Near its thicker end the inner jaw 19 is provided with a longitudinally extending closed slot 21 and a screw 22 extends through this slot and is threaded into a tapped hole in a plate 23 engaging the side of the block 15 remote from the side of the body through which the groove 17 opens.

Another plate 24 is secured to the side of the block 15 through which the groove 17 opens, in covering relationship to the groove 16 and to the open side of the groove 17. The plate 24 is secured to the block by suitable means, such as the screws 25 and converts the handle-receiving groove 16 in the body 15 into a handlereceiving bore, and the wedge-receiving groove 17 in the block 15 into an inner sliding jaw groove.

The screw 22 which extends through an aperture in the plate 24 and is provided on its end adjacent the plate 24 with a flat head 26, so that the screw can be removed to release the inner jaw 19 from the movable jaw 14, when desired. When the screw 22 is in place extending through the slot 21, it not only maintains the jaw 19 in operative association with the block 15 and plate 24, but limits sliding movement of the jaw 19 toward and away from the handle 10 along the inclined ramp 18 to an extent such that the sliding movements of the jaw 19 are not sufiicient to damage a work piece engaged by the wrench.

The portion 27 of the block 15 between the groove 16 and the adjacent edge of the body is provided with a tapped hole 28 opposite the teeth 17 on the block 15, and a set screw 29 having a fiat head 30 on its outer end is threaded through the tapped hole 28 and engages at its inner end the adjacent edge of the handle 10 so as to force the handle toward the teeth 17 and hold the notches 13 on the handle in interlocking engagement with the teeth 17 at selected positions of adjustment of the movable jaw 14 along the handle. A compression spring 31 surrounds the set screw 29 between the screw head 30 and the outer surface of the body 15 so as to restrain the screw against turning movement in the tapped hole except when it is manually turned to engage or release the handle. When the screw 29 is threaded outwardly of the hole 28, the notches on the handle will pass the teeth on the block 15 so that the movable jaw 14 can he slid along the handle to a desired position of adjustment, and, when the screw is threaded inwardly of the tapped hole 28, the notches on the handle are interlocked with the teeth on the block 15 to lock the movable jaw 14 against movement relative to the handle.

In using the device, the movable jaw is moved away from the fixed jaw a distance sufficient to permit the work piece to be received between the two jaws of the wrench. The screw 29 is then threaded inwardly of the tapped hole 28 to lock the movable jaw to the handle, and manual pressure is then applied to the handle near the end thereof remote from the fixed jaw 11. The teeth 20 of the sliding jaw 19, being in engagement with the work piece, will force the jaw 19 to slide along the inclined ramp 18 toward the handle, thereby increasing the pressure on the work piece by the fixed and movable jaws. When the jaw 19 has moved to an extent such that the end of the slot 21 adjacent the thicker end of the jaw 19 engages the screw 22, the wedging action of the wrench is terminated, but the wrench will now be held firmly on the work piece, since the inclination of the ramp 18 is less than the inclination corresponding to the coefficient of friction between the jaw 19 and the work piece until the handle is moved to move the jaw 19 along the ramp 18 away from the handle. By moving the end of thehandle remote from the fixed jaw suecessively, in'opposite directions, the wrench can, be.

caused to ratchet around the workpiece in the well known manner of pipewrenches.

The invention may-be embodied in, other specific forms without departing'from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiment is, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the'invention being, indicated by the appended claims rather than byttheforegoing description, and all changes which come within, the

meaning and range of equivalencyofi the claim are, therefore, intended to be embraced therein.

What isclaimedis:

1. In a pipe wrench, a straight handle, a fixed jaw on one end of the handle extending at right angles to thehandle, one side of said handle being provided with notches adjacent to said, fixedjaw, atrnovable jaw comprising a block having a first groove wider than the handle through which the handle extends, said groove opening through one side of the block, said block comprising a triangular, portion having intersecting edges, one of said intersecting edges being one side of said groove, said one intersecting edge being in facing relation to the notches of the handle, said one intersecting edge having teeth engageablewith the notches, said block having a second groove extending along the remaining,

intersecting edge and opening through the said one side of the block, said second groove having a bottom angu-.

latedaway from the handle and away from said fixed jaw, a wedge shaped inner jaw slidably engaged in said second groove and facing said fixed jaw, and a removable plate mounted on the block and. engaging the said one side of the block and confining said inner jaw in said second groove and said handle in said first groove.

2 In a pipe wrench, a straight handle, a fixed jaw on one end of the handle extending atiright angles to the handle, one side of said handle being provided with notches adjacent to said fixed jaw, a movable jaw comprising a block having a first groove wider than the handle through which the handle extends, said groove opening through one side of the block, said block comprising a triangular portion having intersecting edges, one of said intersecting edges being one side of said groove, said one intersecting edge being in facing relation to the notches of the handle, said one intersecting 'edge having teeth engageable with the notches, said block having a second groove extending-along the remaining intersecting edge and opening through the said one side of the block, said second groovehaving a bottom angulated away from the handle and away from said fixed jaw, a wedge shaped inner jaw slidably engaged in said second groove and facing said fixed jaw, and a remov able plate mounted on the block and engaging the said one side of the block I and confining said, inner jaw in said second groove and said handle in said first groove, and a set screw threaded through said block and emerging into said first groove at the side thereof opposite said one side of the first groove and engaging the side. of the handle remote from the said one side of the first groove and maintaining selective engagement of the ban:

dle notches with the teeth on said, one intersectingedgeof said triangular portion of the block.

References Cited in thefile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Rutherford June 1-7', 1952 

